Teachers in the Finger Lakes region among lowest paid in New York state

Where you live has a strong bearing on what you're paid as a public-school teacher in the State of New York, according to a report from Cornell University. Generally, downstate suburban districts pay the highest salaries, while Upstate rural districts tend to pay the lowest. Upstate teachers in regions with the lowest median ...

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By Messenger Post

MPNnow

By Messenger Post

Posted Dec. 4, 2013 at 10:08 AM

By Messenger Post

Posted Dec. 4, 2013 at 10:08 AM

ITHACA — Where you live has a strong bearing on what you're paid as a public-school teacher in the State of New York, according to a report from Cornell University. Generally, downstate suburban districts pay the highest salaries, while Upstate rural districts tend to pay the lowest. Upstate teachers in regions with the lowest median salaries – the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley – make about 40 percent less than downstate peers with similar qualifications and experience.

Overall, the statewide median salary for a starting teacher with a master's degree is $43,928. After 20 years, that median salary would be $69,460. Experienced teachers in some areas – mainly downstate communities – can earn $100,000 or more. In other areas, experienced teachers are paid in the $40,000 to $60,000 range. Median salaries for teachers with Master's degrees and 10 years experience range from $45,882 in the Mohawk Valley to a high of $81,852 on Long Island, according to a recent Cornell University study. The median salary of teachers in the Finger Lakes region with a Master's degree and 10 years of experience is $46,053 — second-lowest in the state.

Such wide variation in teacher salaries is documented in the New York State Teacher Salary Report, an analysis prepared by Cornell ILR School's Bargaining for Better Schools project. All of the state's 695 public school districts are included in the report. Key findings of the Cornell study are illustrated on a map of teacher salaries by region.

"This is the first study that compares every teacher union contract in New York state," said Sally Klingel, director of Labor-Management Relations at the ILR School, in a release by the school.

Districts located in rural areas generally do not pay teachers as much as suburban schools, which have the highest teacher salaries. City districts also tend to pay less than suburban districts.

"In considering the need to attract and retain high-quality educators, it is important to consider relative salary levels", said Alex Colvin, Cornell professor of Conflict Resolution, in the release.